Colorado Craft Beer Week and 27 Other Food & Drink Events This Week

April is in full swing and Denver has some awesome food events for you to attend. Start your week by grabbing a cold brew during Colorado Craft Beer Week and end it by supporting a good cause at The Resistance Diner. Whatever your tastebuds savor this week, make sure to take a look at this roundup of food events in Denver.

Monday, April 2

Colorado Craft Beer Week

When: Monday, April 2 – 7, 7 – 8 p.m.

Where: Various Locations

Cost: Various prices

The Lowdown: Celebrate the power of craft beer locally with the Colorado Craft Beer Week. Each day of the week has a special theme, starting with Beer Education on Monday with the Crooked Stave, moving to Colorado Pint Day on Wednesday and ending with a Tour of a brewery or meeting brewers with the West Side Brewery Bus Loop. If you love craft beer, this week is for you.

Mystery Pie Night

Photo courtesy of Black Shirt Brewing Co. on Facebook.

When: Monday, April 2, 4 – 9 p.m.

Where: Black Shirt Brewing Co — 3719 Walnut St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Dig into a pizza with a surprise flavor at Mystery Pie Night. If you stop into the taproom of Black Shirt Brewing Co you can savor a mystery and pint for only $13. The chef specially prepares the pairings, changing them each week to keep you guessing. Don’t worry if you are vegetarian, they will have an option for you also.

April RAW Pop-Up Dinner

Photo Courtesy of Vital Root on Facebook

When: Monday, April 2, 4:30 – 7 p.m.

Where: Vital Root — 3915 Tennyson St., Denver

Cost: $27 at the door

The Lowdown: Stop into Vital Root for an April RAW Pop-Up Dinner. You can experience a four-course dinner with all raw food for only $27. The menu features all local and organic dishes. Make sure to create your reservations here.

Tuesday, April 3

Oyster Party

Photo Courtesy of Ratio Beerworks on Facebook

When: Tuesday, April 3, 5 – 8 p.m.

Where: Ratio Beerworks — 2920 Larimer St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Ratio Beerworks celebrates Colorado Craft Beer Week with an Oyster Party. You can sip on a beer from a diverse lineup while you snack on freshly shucked oysters from Fish N Beer for $2 an oyster, or dig into grilled oysters for $3 an oyster. The oysters and beer are served until gone so make sure you stop in early to get a taste.

Jurassic Park Think & Drink

Photo Courtesy of Black Shirt Brewing Co on Facebook

When: April 3, 7 – 9 p.m.

Where: Black Shirt Brewing Co — 3719 Walnut St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Test your knowledge of the famous dinosaur movie at Jurassic Park Think & Drink. You can compete in the pub quiz hosted by Comedy Work’s Nathan Lund and imbibe on $2 cans of Timekeeper Rye Pale Ale, Frontman IPA, Fourtrack Porter or Stringbender Saison.

Wednesday, April 4

Señor Bear Escape Series

Photo Courtesy of Señor Bear

When: Wednesday, April 4, 3 – 10 p.m.

Where: SeñorBear — 3301 Tejon St., Denver

Cost: $55 at the door

The Lowdown: The third installment of the Señor Bear Escape Series is here. This event features the theme of Colombia and focuses on the traditional food and drink of the country. The menu features platanos maduros, a sweet plantain with guava and quesillo, sofrito verde and a whole roasted goat, arroz con pollo and buñuelos, a queso fresco donut with sweet cheese filling and maracuya. You can add a drink pairing to your dinner for an additional $30 and taste some of the Colombian-inspired cocktails.

Colorado Pint Day

Photo by Alysia Shoemaker.

When: Wednesday, April 4

Where: Various Locations

Cost: Various Prices

The Lowdown: Grab a pint from any of the locations selling special pint glasses for Colorado Pint Day. More than 80 breweries are participating in Colorado Pint Day and they all have the special pint glass created by artist Brendan O’Connor from Goodland Design. One dollar from each pint sold benefits the Colorado Brewers Guild to continue their work.

Haunted Pub Tour

The Lowdown: Each bar and pub in Denver has its own story and you can learn all about them at a Haunted Pub Tour. Nightly Spirits leads you on a tour of the most haunted places in downtown Denver. You are guaranteed to see spirits, which ones you see are up to you. The tour starts at Celtic on Market Street.

Dine Out for Arts Ed

Photo Courtesy of Think 360 Arts on Facebook

When: Wednesday, April 4, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: Uncle Joe’s Hong Kong Bistro — 891 14th St. #100, Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown:Help raise funds for art opportunities for kids around Colorado at a Dine Out for Arts Ed. Uncle Joe’s Hong Kong Bistro joins with Think 360 Arts to create a lunch and dinner that benefit Think 360 Arts. 20 percent of the sales go toward the cause, so make sure to stop in and drop off your receipt in the box at the front door to help.

New Chefs on the Block

The Lowdown: See a screening of New Chefs on the Block. The documentary film follows two chefs in Washington D.C. who go through the troubles of opening and maintaining their first restaurants. After the film, you can participate in a Q&A with Jeremy Kittelson, the Culinary Director at Edible Beats.

Thursday, April 5

Advanced Off Flavor Sensory Course

The Lowdown: Learn how to differentiate off-flavors at an Advanced Off Flavor Sensory Course. You can taste 10 special off-flavors and learn about the causes of each off-flavor. You can also learn how to prevent those off-flavors in your beers. Some of the flavors that you can expect are Geranio, Catty, Hop Oil and Freshly Cut Grass.

Arden of Faversham

Photo Courtesy of The Wit’s Shakesbeer on Facebook

When: Thursday, April 5, 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Where: Woods Boss Brewing — 2210 California St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Watch as actors perform Arden of Faversham with The Wit’s Shakesbeer. Actors drink during the play in the taphouse of Woods Boss Brewing, giving you a hilarious hoppy experience. The play features the story of Thomas Arden and his murder by his wife Alice Arden and her lover.

Opening Day Champagne Thursday

Photo courtesy of STK Denver on Facebook

When: Thursday, April 5, 8 p.m.

Where: STK (Denver) — 1550 Market St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Head over to STK Denver for Opening Day Champagne Thursday. You can celebrate the Rockies’ home opener. Drink some champagne and delight in a dinner party to kick off the season.

Laws Five-Course Whiskey Dinner

The Lowdown: Delight in Laws Whiskey with a Laws Five-Course Whiskey Dinner. The event features a five-course meal with each of the grains used in the whiskey itself within the dinner. Each of the grains, corn, wheat, rye and barley serve a part of the dinner prepared by the chefs at Butcher’s Bistro. The event books fast so get your tickets soon.

Friday, April 6

Opening Day Tailgate

Photo Courtesy of Avanti F&B, a collective eatery on Facebook

When: Friday, April 6 – 7, 10 a.m.

Where: Avanti F&B — 3200 Pecos St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Avanti F&B presents an Opening Day Tailgate. You can party for the Rockies Opening Day game on the lower patio and have happy hour all day long. You can also snack on hot dogs from American Grind and sip on a beer while you watch the game.

Alley at Dairy Block Opening

Photo Courtesy of Alley on Dairy Block

When: Friday, April 6, 10 a.m.

Where: Between Wazee and Blake Streets and 18th and 19th Streets, Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Celebrate the opening of Rockies season by stopping by the Alley at Dairy Block Opening. You can walk down the newly opened alley and peruse the businesses, listen to live music and more. Milk Market is handing out hot dogs and bottled water from noon to 2 p.m. and Poka Lola is jamming it up with a party.

Opening Day Hot Dog Special at Tamayo

Tamayo. Photo by Camille Breslin.

When: Friday, April 6, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Where: Tamayo — 1400 Larimer St, Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Grab a dog for the Rockies Opening Day at Tamayo. You can bite into a special combo of “perro caliente”, a hot dog wrapped in bacon with pickled chile and chipotle rouille and wash it down with a Coors Light for only $6. The special was created by chef Richard Sandoval to put a Mexican spin on the traditional American dish.

Make IPA Clear Again

Photo Courtesy of La Cumbre Brewing Co. on Facebook

When: Friday, April 6, 2-11 p.m.

Where: Finn’s Manor — 2927 Larimer St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: La Cumbre Brewing Co. joins together with Comrade Brewing Co. to release Make IPA Clear Again. The beer is tapped at Finn’s Manor and is a part of Colorado Craft Beer Week. You can listen to live music as you sip on the release and try other hits from both of the breweries on tap.

Opening Day Open House

Photo Courtesy of Great Divide Brewing Co. on Facebook

When: Friday, April 6, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where: Great Divide Brewing Co. — 2201 Arapahoe St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Great Divide Brewing Co. presents an Opening Day Open House. You can get a look at the behind-the-scenes operation of the brewhouse and imbibe in $5 beers, including a new Heyday IPA on tap. You can also dig into tacos and a cookie pairing from Good Sugar Baking.

First Friday Salumi & Wine Tasting

The Lowdown: Get ready to lick your fingers clean at a First Friday salumi and wine tasting. Il Porcellino Salumi presents a tasting of the house-cured Salumi paired with wine from Carboy Winery to join the First Friday Art Walk. Try each bite and sip and then explore the First Friday Art Walk for amazing art.

Saturday, April 7

TheBigWonderful

The Lowdown: Take a day to travel to Winter Park Resort for TheBigWonderful. The event features a shop, dance and beer fest. You can listen to The Damn Sasquatch as you explore the bazaar showcasing local makers. The Bazaar and Bands portion of the event is free, the beer fest is not, but you can sip on drink samples with a ticket all day long.

Saisons & Salads

The Lowdown: Eat like a rabbit at Saisons & Salads. Fiction Beer Company hosts a salad competition. Judge salads from two categories, general salad and pasta salad. You can try the salads and rank them from first to last place and try a taste of the release of a conditioned peach Saison and six other Saisons on tap.

Sour, Wild & Fruited Fest

Photo courtesy of Hops & Pie on Facebook

When: Friday, April 7, 12-11 p.m.

Where: Hops & Pie — 3920 Tennyson St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Hops & Pie hosts a Sour, Wild & Fruited Fest. Try a pour of more than 20 different beers from breweries including Casey Family Preserves, Cantillon, Jester King, Tilquin, Crooked Stave and more. Grab a slice of pizza while you sip on your beers and embrace spring.

Hot Dog Eating Contest

View of Viewhouse

When: Friday, April 7, 4-5 p.m.

Where: ViewHouse Ballpark — 2015 Market St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: ViewHouse Eatery, Bar & Rooftop gear up for the opening of baseball season with a hot dog eating contest. You can watch or participate in the contest and party all day long. Sign up by emailing [email protected] and be one of the 20 contestants (10 male, 10 female) to have a chance at winning $200 in cash by eating as many beef hot dogs as you possibly can in five minutes.

Maui Express Release

Photo Courtesy of Denver Beer Co on Facebook

When: Friday, April 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Denver Beer Co. — 1695 Platte St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Say “aloha” to the Maui Express Release. The Coconut IPA transforms Denver Beer Co into a tropical paradise. Make sure to put on your coconut bras, grass skirts, bikinis and Hawaiian shirts for a luau raffle. You can also receive a raffle ticket with the purchase of a pint of the Maui Express.

4th Annual Rockies Opening Crawfish Boil

Mile High Spirits. Photo by Roman Tafoya.

When: Friday, April 7, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Where: Mile High Spirits — 2201 Lawrence St., Denver

Cost: Free admission

The Lowdown: Crack open some crustaceans at the 4th Annual Rockies Opening Crawfish Boil. You can eat as much crawfish as you can for $10 per pound or get other tasty bites from Mestizos food truck. As you eat you watch the opening Rockies game, listen to live music and delighting in distilled drinks.

Sunday, April 8

BEER RUN!

The Lowdown: Lace up your shoes and break a sweat in a BEER RUN! Zuni Street Brewing Company hosts a 5k race that starts and ends in the Highlands. You can receive a free craft brew and a collector’s pint glass or a swag item from the Brewery Running Series and more. After the run, you can listen to live music, peruse local vendors and bite into some great food. Spaces are limited so register fast.

The Resistance Diner

The Lowdown: Raise funds for The Growhaus and Focus Points Family Resource Center at The Resistance Diner. You can dive into a four-course meal with the optional two glasses of wine for a good cause. There are only 32 seats available for the dinner so make sure to snag your tickets soon.

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About The Author

Jessica was born and raised in a small town in Minnesota. She moved to Denver as a student at the University of Denver and is an editorial intern at 303 Magazine. She is passionate about journalism and activism. As an environmentalist, she loves nature and all that Colorado has to offer. She enjoys biking, hiking and skijoring with her two Huskies. Follow her on Twitter.